Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-AIF-AQU-WEC General High confidence

Benchmark Value

800 µS/cm
Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 800
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context. The scoring engine uses 18 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 17 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard UpperThreshold Guard Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard UpperThreshold Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard UpperThreshold Guard Point Guard OptimalRange Guard UpperThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard LowerThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard

Evidence & Context

Thus, the upper detrimental threshold, from the perspective of maintaining a system in the best available freshwater condition, is 800 µS/cm.

Metric Definition:

Upper detrimental threshold of water electrical conductivity beyond which the system is considered degraded or under stress.

Benchmark Definition:

Maximum electrical conductivity to maintain a healthy freshwater aquaculture system.

Justification:

Based on the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's definition of low salinity water and ecological risk to early life stages above this level.

Sources (2)

Preview of Influences of salinity, water quality and hydrology on early life stages of fishes in the Lower River Murray, South Australia.
Influences of salinity, water quality and hydrology on early life stages of fishes in the Lower River Murray, South Australia. GreyLiterature

Influences of salinity, water quality and hydrology on early life stages of fishes in the Lower River Murray, South Australia. - ResearchGate, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Salinity - Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 11, 2025,
Salinity - Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 11, 2025, Government

Basin Plan water quality targets; Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZG 2018/ANZECC 2000); Australia State of the Environment 2021: Inland water

View Source

Supporting Sources (24)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Inland saline aquaculture - ResearchGate, accessed July 20, 2025,
(PDF) Inland saline aquaculture - ResearchGate, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Inland saline aquaculture - ResearchGate, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of (PDF) Water quality in two Australian dryland rivers: spatial and temporal variability and the role of flow - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,
(PDF) Water quality in two Australian dryland rivers: spatial and temporal variability and the role of flow - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,
Direct Evidence

(PDF) Effects of increasing salinity on freshwater ecosystems in Australia - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of 3. Conductivity/Salinity - Site Selection For Aquaculture : chemical features of water, accessed July 20, 2025,
3. Conductivity/Salinity - Site Selection For Aquaculture : chemical features of water, accessed July 20, 2025,
Methodology Source Government

3. Conductivity/Salinity - Site Selection For Aquaculture : chemical features of water, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Australia - Brackish Water Aquaculture, accessed July 20, 2025,
Australia - Brackish Water Aquaculture, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Inland saline aquaculture - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

View Source
Preview of Best Pratice Environmental Management Guidelines for ... - VFA, accessed July 20, 2025,
Best Pratice Environmental Management Guidelines for ... - VFA, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

NSW Land Based Sustainable Aquaculture Strategy, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Development of a Health Management Strategy for the Silver Perch Aquaculture Industry., accessed July 20, 2025,
Development of a Health Management Strategy for the Silver Perch Aquaculture Industry., accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Silver perch aquaculture | Business Queensland, accessed August 10, 2025

View Source
Preview of Electrical conductivity of water, part 2 - Responsible Seafood Advocate
Electrical conductivity of water, part 2 - Responsible Seafood Advocate
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Electrical conductivity of water, part 2 - Responsible Seafood Advocate, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Inland Saline Aquaculture - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, accessed July 20, 2025,
Inland Saline Aquaculture - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support

Inland Saline Aquaculture - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, accessed July 25, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Inland Saline Aquaculture | FRDC, accessed July 20, 2025,
Inland Saline Aquaculture | FRDC, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Inland Saline Aquaculture | FRDC, accessed July 25, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Inland Saline Aquaculture: Overcoming Biological and Technical Constraints Towards the Development of an Industry. - Murdoch Research Portal, accessed July 20, 2025,
Inland Saline Aquaculture: Overcoming Biological and Technical Constraints Towards the Development of an Industry. - Murdoch Research Portal, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Inland Saline Aquaculture: Overcoming Biological and Technical Constraints Towards the Development of an Industry. - Murdoch Research Portal, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Inland waters - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025
Inland waters - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Inland waters - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Land-based aquaculture - Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia - PIRSA, accessed July 20, 2025,
Land-based aquaculture - Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia - PIRSA, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Land-based aquaculture - Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia - PIRSA, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Murray Cod | Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 20, 2025,
Murray Cod | Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Murray Cod | Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 10, 2025

View Source
Preview of Murray Cod Aquaponics - HowtoAquaponic, accessed July 20, 2025,
Murray Cod Aquaponics - HowtoAquaponic, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Murray Cod Aquaponics - HowtoAquaponic, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of National Aquaculture Statement - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025,
National Aquaculture Statement - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support

National Aquaculture Statement - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of NSW Land Based Sustainable Aquaculture Strategy | Department of ..., accessed July 20, 2025,
NSW Land Based Sustainable Aquaculture Strategy | Department of ..., accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

NSW Land Based Sustainable Aquaculture Strategy | Department of ..., accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Persistence of in-stream waterholes in ephemeral rivers of tropical northern Australia and potential impacts of climate change - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research, accessed July 18, 2025,
Persistence of in-stream waterholes in ephemeral rivers of tropical northern Australia and potential impacts of climate change - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research, accessed July 18, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Persistence of in-stream waterholes in ephemeral rivers of tropical northern Australia and potential impacts of climate change - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Marine and Freshwater Research

View Source
Preview of Potential Environmental Impacts From Farming Rainbow Trout Using Inland Saline Water in Western Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 20, 2025,
Potential Environmental Impacts From Farming Rainbow Trout Using Inland Saline Water in Western Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Potential Environmental Impacts From Farming Rainbow Trout Using Inland Saline Water in Western Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Quantifying Health in Ephemeral Rivers - eWater, accessed July 20, 2025,
Quantifying Health in Ephemeral Rivers - eWater, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

An environmental flow to an ephemeral creek increases the input of carbon and nutrients to a downstream receiving river, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Resilience of floodplain ecosystems in a semi-arid environment - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025,
Resilience of floodplain ecosystems in a semi-arid environment - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Creating a sustainable Murray-Darling - The Nature Conservancy Australia, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Strategies for promoting sustainable aquaculture in arid and semi-arid areas, accessed July 20, 2025,
Strategies for promoting sustainable aquaculture in arid and semi-arid areas, accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support

Assessing Environmental Regulatory Arrangements for Aquaculture | Productivity Commission

View Source
Preview of The influence of saline concentration on the success of Calcein marking techniques for hatchery-produced Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), accessed July 20, 2025,
The influence of saline concentration on the success of Calcein marking techniques for hatchery-produced Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), accessed July 20, 2025,
Contextual Support

The influence of saline concentration on the success of Calcein marking techniques for hatchery-produced Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Water quality | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 11, 2025,
Water quality | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Drivers of water quality in Afromontane-savanna rivers - Frontiers

View Source
Preview of Water quality | Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 5, 2025
Water quality | Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed August 5, 2025
Direct Evidence

Water quality | Murray–Darling Basin Authority, accessed July 25, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
  • Land Use Aquaculture
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 16 Mar 2026

Notes

EC above 800 µS/cm indicates system degradation and increased risk to native fish recruitment.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AIF-AQU-WEC family.

— µS/cm High
Aquaculture · Pristine Reference
OptimalRange Active v1
20 µS/cm High
Aquaculture · Pristine Reference
MinimumOnly Active v1